Local Animal Lovers Stage Memorial Service For Cats Killed In Yonkers

Participants walked in procession to 14 Overlook Terrace where the bodies of the cats were found.Photo Credit: Facebook: Yonkers Cats MemorialA wreath was laid at the site where the cats were found.Photo Credit: Facebook: Yonkers Cats Memorial

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The memorial was organized by local advocate Kristin A. Crage. Participants congregated in the C.H. Martin Department Store parking lot at John and James streets before walking in procession to 14 Overlook Terrace where the cats were found.

The cats were killed via blunt force trauma, stuffed in plastic bags and hung from a tree in a forested area, a few feet from residential apartment buildings.

The participants laid a wreath and crosses at the now cleaned up scene to commemorate the lives lost. Ordained minister Dina Lenore Cirigliano gave the eulogy.

"It was a beautiful memorial," said Crage.

The crime is currently under investigation by the Westchester SPCA and Yonkers Police Department.

Crage said she believes Mayor Mike Spano needs to take action to help mitigate the large stray cat population in Yonkers.

"(He) needs to implement a city-funded spay/neuter clinic for our strays. Yonkers has an overwhelming number of stray cats who are defenseless to humans that don't want them around. The Mayor can no longer sit on this issue. A city-funded spay/neuter clinic needs to implemented now," she said.

More than $23,000 has been offered by various national and local organizations for information to whomever is responsible for the killing of the cats.

Anyone with information about the cats is asked to call the Yonkers Police Department Detective Division at 914-377-7724, or the SPCA of Westchester's confidential hotline at 914-941-7797.